In brief
Cuba has been thrust into total darkness following a nationwide power grid failure, compounding the already severe electricity crisis plaguing the country.
On Friday morning, the Cuban Energy Ministry confirmed that an outage had affected the entire nation stemming from a malfunction at a thermoelectric power station in Matanzas, located east of the capital city, Havana. This setback occurred shortly after Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz had publicly reiterated the urgency of curtailing electricity usage to mitigate the crisis, which experts claim is unprecedented for the island nation.For several weeks, numerous areas across Cuba have been experiencing severe electricity shortages due to a lack of fuel essential for powering the grid. Residents have reportedly been left in darkness for extended periods, sometimes up to 12 hours daily, prompting the government to implement drastic measures.In response to the escalating electricity demand once power is restored, Prime Minister Marrero urged citizens on Thursday to minimize their electricity consumption. The government's solution to alleviate the strain included closing all educational institutions until Monday and suspending nonessential activities, including nightclubs and other cultural events.As the nation grapples with this latest setback, citizens are left to navigate the challenges posed by the persistent power outages and their repercussions on daily life and the economy.
